Roger welles and r



Aug. 23, 1927. s NESWH Re. 16,735

swarms WATER HEATER Orizinal Filed Oct. 8. 1925 MINVENTOR I BY I 5.

4 ATTO QNEYJ;

through; third, to provide a for heating 207 Reissued Aug. 23, 1927. A

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE. 2

SAIUEL D. NESMITH,

! SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA,

ASSIQNOR OF PART INTEREST TO A. S. BRIDGES, J. 1B. OSBOBN, MRS. -KATKBYN OSBOBNyJ. H. BULMER, AND I MAB-Y E; NESIITH, RICHARDSON, BOTH LAJ'ARA, MEXICO; GEORGE ALL or SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA;

or THE UNITED STATES NAVY; E. J.:cALLAHAN,oE GUAIDA- HJSCHMIDT, WALTER c."sT1TT,F. E. GRANT,

snmrsraur. J. HAZBTLEY,'AND n. c. EASOBL. a

.BOGEB WELLES AND B. 3'.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

Original No. 1,574,053, dated My invention relates to electric water heaters, and the objects of my invention are: provide a heater of this class which is provi ed with a plurality of flat water conducting channels connected in series and which are heated by means of electric-heating elements positioned contiguous to and between adjacent water channels, forming a long,continuous, thin film of water with heating elements on both sides, the vsame'being electrically, insulated therefrom; sec- 0nd, to provide tubes for a heater of this class, the combined thickness of the opposite wall of which is approximately double that of the film of water passing theresubstantially instantaneous electric water heater and a water heater in which the electric current the water in the same isautomatically controlled when the water is turned on or off; fourth, to provide an electric water heater in which the electric heating units positioned between the water con ducting channels may be readily removed for replacing or repairing the same; fifth, to provide a water heater of this classin which .the water conducting channels are thoroughly electrically insulated from the electric heating elements, thus preventing charging of the water passing through said channels ,srxth, to provide a water heater of this classwhich is of novel construction, and,

seventh, to provide an electric water heater which is very simple and economical of construction, durable, efiicient, and which will not readily deteriorate orflget out of order. will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novelfeatures of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularl set, forth in I claims, re erence, being, had to' the accom- With these and other objects in'view, as

panying drawings and tothe reference characters thereon whichjform a part. of this lication, in w "ch, igure1is a. front elevational view of my electric water heater with certain parts and portions thereof broken away and in section- ,to facilitaterthe illustration and show- Yebruary 23, 1926, Serial No. reissue filed May 11, 1926, Serial'No. 108,409.

. Fig. 3, and

sulating plates 5, end plates of the tie members 3 to posed dependently attachedto the supporting the appended 667,221, filed october s, 1923. Application ming' the same diagrammatically connected with an electricswitch and control mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a similar View thereof in section, with the section taken through of Fig.

3 is a sectional elevational view thereof, taken'a't right angles to that of Fig.

2 and through 3--3 thereof. I

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The water tube supporting members 1 and 2, tie members 3, water tubes 4, heat in-' 6 and 7 studs or bolts 8, heat insulating material 9, water conductors 10 and 11, core 12, electric'heating elements 13, electric insulating material 14, terminal posts 15, electric insulating plates 16, terminal connecting members 17,, nuts 18, casing members 24, plunger, 25, connecting member 26, spring 27, contact members 28 and 29, conductors 30 and 31,.relay32, and the conductors'33 and 34, constitute the principal parts "and ture and'control c I The vertically extending water tube supporting members land 2 of my heater are identical in construction but positioned in reverse order and are supported in spaced relationwith each other at their" ends by means provide a frame. 4 designates a plurality of horizontally disseparatewater tubes, evenly spaced apart, and extending between the tube-supporting members 1 and 2. Said tubes are inmemmechanism.

bers, for:e-Xample', by passing each tube therethrough and welding or riveting over the projecting ends. The water tubes 4 are'preferably made of flattened copper tubing of large diameter, or other material of high heat conductivity,so that a very thin channel for the water is formed, the

a combined thic ness of the opposite walls of each of the channels thus formed being not substantially less than double that of. the

film of water passing therethrough. There each end of 19 and 20, electric conductors 21 and 22, valve casing 23, valve portions of my water heater struc- I tions 1 and 2 8?. s Th sealed ably alundum. At the ends of the elements 13 are provided the outwardly exare preferably provided an odd number of water tubes to minimize the cost of construction, and the opposite ends of each alternate pair of tubes are connected by means of recess portions 1" and 2 the members 1 and 2, substantially'as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Positioned against the members 1 and2 and enclosing the recess ortions l and 2 are the heat insulating p ates 5, against the outer faces of Which are positioned the end plates 6 and 7.

The end plates, by reason of the recess porare spaced at intervals from the face of the members 1 and 2. These end plates are identical in construction and positioned in reverse order relatively to each other. The end plates 6 and 7 the insulating plates 5, and the members 1 and 2, as well as the members 3, are secured relatively to each other by means of the studs 8 and the nuts is construction provides closed or passageways for conducting water from one tube to the adjacent tube to thereby connect all of the water tubes in series. etween the endwater tubes 4 and the tie members 3 is provided heat insulating material 9. Secured in the upper end of the end plate 6 is the Water outlet conductor 10, communicating with one of the end conductors 4,

and positioned and secured in the lower end of the end plate 7 is the water inlet conductor 11, communicating with the water tube at the opposite end of the heater, substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The electric heating units of my water heater consist of electric heating elements 13 encased in a form or casing 14 of heat-conducting electric-insulating material, preferheating tending terminal posts 15, which extend through the moulded casings 14 and an insulating plate 16, 'one of which is positioned at the front and another at the back sides of the heater. The terminal posts are connected with the corresponding posts of the adjacent and oppositely positioned heating'elements by means of the connecting cased heating elements,

" tubes, and, as

side of the casing member members 17 and the nuts 18, as illustrated in the drawings. The heat-conducting, electricinsulating forms with their contained or onare disposed between filling the space between the previously pointed out, are independently removablefor the purpose of renewal and repair. 1

The water heater is by means of a sectional the members 19 and .20.

adjacent tubes,

preferably enclosed casing consisting of Through the front 19 extend the conductors 21 and 22, which conductors are preferably connected with the heating unit positioned at th means of a valve e opposite ends of the heater.

The heater is automatically controlled by and switch mechanism,

in the outside faces of 15 of each unit ters Patent, is

ber 24 is pivotally connected by means of the connecting rod26 with the plunger 25 reciprocally mounted in an extended portion of the valve casing 23. A compression spring 27 is positioned around the connecting rod 26 between the valve 24 and the portion serving as a guide for the plunger 25. At the upper end of the plunger 25 is provided a contact member 28, secured thereto and insu-- lated therefrom, which is adapted to engage with and connect the contact members 29 when the valve 24 is opened by reason of the water passing through the'heater. The contact members 29 are supported inside of the insulated therefrom, and areconnected by 'meansof the conductors 30 and 31 with a source of electrical energy. Positioned in the conductor 30 is the solenoid 32 of the relay 32, which, when the valve 24 is opened, is energized, attracting its relay bar 32", which controls the switch of the conductors 'COI1 nected with the heating units. I have shown, diagrammatically, a pair of switch members 32 and 32 secured to and. insulated from the bar 32 and adapted to connect the contact portion at the ends of the conductors 21 and 22 and the conductors 33and 34 connected with a source of electrical energy. It will be noted, therefore, that when the valve 24 is opened the condu'ctors'21 and 22, con

nected with the heating elements of the electrio water heater, are connected with the conductors 33 and 34.

It lustrated in the drawings and disclosed in the foregoing specification, that there is provided an electric water heater as aimed at and set forth in the objects of the invention, and though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantiallyas set forth in the appended claims., 7 I Having thus described my invention, what claim'as new and desire to secure by Letrespectively 1. An electric water heater, including separate spaced apart supporting members, a plurality of water tubes extending between and through said supporting-members, end members positioned on the outer sides of said supporting members and extending across the ends of all of said tubes, said supporting is obvious from this construction as iliii) members being recessed to provide recesses between the supporting and end membersfor tubes wit of certain of said water each other, and electric heating units positioned adjacent and between adjacent water tubes and spaced therefrom,

connectin the ends said heating units being removably. positioned between and adjacent said water tubes and electrically connected in series-with each other.

2. An electric water heater, including a frame, a plurality of flattened water tubes of a material of hi tioned between an portions of said frame,

h heat conductivity, posi-.

there being provided pockets at the outer portion ofsaid frame for'connecting adjacent ends of said water tubes, and insulatingplates positioned between said tube supporting portions andsaid end plates, and between tubes and the other side portions of said frame.

3. An electric water heater, including a in members and spacing members, a p-l ra ity of flattened water tubes of a material of high heat conductivity, positioned between andsecured through said supporting members, there being provided pockets at the outer portions of said supporting members for connectin adjacent ends of said water tubes, where y said water tubes are connected in series with each other, and a plurality of removable heating units positioned adjacent each and between each pair of water tubes, and spaced therefrom.

4. An electric water heater, including a frame provided with water tube supporting members and spacing members, a plurality of flattened water tubes positioned between and secured to said supporting members, there being provided pockets at the outer bes,

secured through opposite .flattened water tubes,

the outer water frame provided with water tube support-,

portions of said supporting members for conwhereby said water tubes are connected in series with each other, end plates positioned on the outer sides of the supporting members of said frame. forming enclosed channels for connecting said water tubes, insulating plates positioned between said'supporting members and said end plates, and between the outer water tubes and said spacing members, and an inlet andan outlet conductor communicating with said water tubes and secured to said end plates.

5. In an electric water heater, the combination of a plurality of horizontally extending vertically extending supporting members for supporting said tubes, independently removable electric heating units located between and adjacent said tubes and electrically insulated therefrom, said supporting members being provided with recesses on their outer faces adjacent the ends of each pair of tubes, and outer end plates cooperating with said supporting members and bolted thereto to provide closed passageways for conducting water from one tube to the adj acent tube to thereby connect said tubes in series.

6. In an electric water heater, the combination of a plurality of independent flat tened water tubes of high heat conductivity, -independently removable heat-conducting electric-insulating members filling the space between adjacent tubes, electric heating ele- 'ments encased in said insulating members, end supporting members for supporting said tubes in spaced relation to each other, tie

members at the top and bottom of said heater, and end plates at each end. of said tubes and spaced therefrom at intervals to provide sealed water passageways for con- SAMUEL D. NESMITH. 

